Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis
Optimal health is achieved through high-quality health care services which are cost-effective and accessible to the public and also well-coordinated. Health policies present plans, actions and decisions that facilitate the achiev3ment of healthcare goals in the society (Blank, 2019). The World Health Organization notes that health policies define visions for the future, provides the expected roles and priorities roles of the public population and creates consensus as well as informs the public on healthcare issues (Abel-Smith, 2018). As such, this paper examines the publicly funded healthcare policy in the United States and how it is designed to improve a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care…
Select a current or proposed health care policy that is designed to improve a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. In a paper of 1,000-1,250 words, include the following:
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Explain the policy and how it is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the population. Is the policy financially sound? Why or why not? How does the policy account for any relevant ethical, legal, and political factors and the nursing perceptive one must consider when implementing it? Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis
To what state, federal, global health policies or goals is this particular policy related? How well do you think the policy is designed to achieve those goals?
Finally, discuss the advocacy strategies you would employ on behalf of your population to ensure they have access to the benefits of the policy. Explain, from a Christian perspective, the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurse to advocate for and promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations.
You are required to cite five to 10 sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis
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| NUR-550 | NUR-550-XO0905XB | Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis | 160.0 | |||
| Criteria | Percentage | Unsatisfactory (0.00%) | Less than Satisfactory (80.00%) | Satisfactory (88.00%) | Good (92.00%) | Excellent (100.00%) |
| Content | 70.0% | |||||
| Financially Sound Health Care Policy That Incorporates the Nursing Perspective and Relevant Ethical, Legal, and Political Factors (2.1) | 20.0% | A discussion of financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is not included. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis | A discussion of financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete. | A discussion of financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is present. | A discussion of financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is clearly provided and well developed. | A comprehensive discussion of financially sound health care policy that incorporates the nursing perspective and relevant ethical, legal, and political factors is thoroughly developed with supporting details. |
| Integration of Appropriate State, Federal, and Global Health Policies and Goals Related to Equitable Health Care for Populations (4.2) | 20.0% | A discussion of appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals related to equitable health care for populations is not included. | A discussion of appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals related to equitable health care for populations is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete. | A discussion of appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals related to equitable health care for populations is present. | A discussion of appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals related to equitable health care for populations is clearly provided and well developed. | A comprehensive discussion of appropriate state, federal, and global health policies and goals related to equitable health care for populations is thoroughly developed with supporting details. |
| Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis | ||||||
| Advocacy Strategies for Improving Access, Quality, and Cost-Effective Health Care for Diverse Populations (2.2) | 10.0% | A discussion of advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations is not included. | A discussion of advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete. | A discussion of advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations is present. | A discussion of advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations is clearly provided and well developed. | A comprehensive discussion of advocacy strategies for improving access, quality, and cost-effective health care for diverse populations is thoroughly developed with supporting details. |
| The Professional and Moral Obligation of Advanced Registered Nurses to Respect Human Dignity and Advance the Common Good Through Working to Promote Health and Prevent Disease Among Diverse Populations from a Christian Perspective (4.3) | 15.0% | A discussion of the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective is not included. | A discussion of the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective is present, but it lacks detail or is incomplete. | A discussion of the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective is present. | A discussion of the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective is clearly provided and well developed. | A comprehensive discussion of the professional and moral obligation of advanced registered nurses to respect human dignity and advance the common good through working to promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations from a Christian perspective is thoroughly developed with supporting details. |
| Required Sources | 5.0% | Sources are not included. | Number of required sources is only partially met. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis | Number of required sources is met, but sources are outdated or inappropriate. | Number of required sources is met. Sources are current, but not all sources are appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content. | Number of required resources is met. Sources are current, and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content. |
| Organization and Effectiveness | 20.0% | |||||
| Thesis Development and Purpose | 7.0% | Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim. | Thesis is insufficiently developed or vague. Purpose is not clear. | Thesis is apparent and appropriate to purpose. | Thesis is clear and forecasts the development of the paper. Thesis is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose. | Thesis is comprehensive and contains the essence of the paper. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear. |
| Argument Logic and Construction
Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis |
8.0% | Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources. | Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility. | Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis. | Argument shows logical progressions. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative. | Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative. |
| Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use) | 5.0% | Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction is used. | Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register) or word choice are present. Sentence structure is correct but not varied. | Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but they are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct and varied sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are employed. | Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. The writer uses a variety of effective sentence structures and figures of speech. | Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English. |
| Format | 10.0% | |||||
| Paper Format (Use of appropriate style for the major and assignment) | 5.0% | Template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly. | Template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken; lack of control with formatting is apparent. | Template is used, and formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present. | Template is fully used; There are virtually no errors in formatting style. | All format elements are correct. |
| Documentation of Sources (citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and style) | 5.0% | Sources are not documented. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis | Documentation of sources is inconsistent or incorrect, as appropriate to assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors. | Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some formatting errors may be present. | Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is mostly correct. | Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is free of error. |
| Total Weightage | 100% |
Optimal health is achieved through high-quality health care services which are cost-effective and accessible to the public and also well-coordinated. Health policies present plans, actions and decisions that facilitate the achiev3ment of healthcare goals in the society (Blank, 2019). The World Health Organization notes that health policies define visions for the future, provides the expected roles and priorities roles of the public population and creates consensus as well as informs the public on healthcare issues (Abel-Smith, 2018). As such, this paper examines the publicly funded healthcare policy in the United States and how it is designed to improve a specific population’s access to quality, cost-effective health care. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
Publicly funded healthcare policy in the United States is designed to meet all or part of the healthcare needs from public funds. The Medicare and Medicaid programs together with the Veterans Health Administration and Children’s Health Insurance Programs are involved in funding 64% of healthcare costs paid by the government since 2013 (Sommers et al., 2017). Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. The policy is designed to improve cost-effectiveness and health care equity for the population as it meets a larger portion of healthcare bills. Thus, it reduces the economic burden of the population and particularly the marginalized groups who have difficulties in accessing care due to poverty. Even though is not a universal healthcare fund, the policy ensures equitable distribution of healthcare services through equal distribution of healthcare funds. It also gives the population a chance to select their insurances depending on their economic capabilities. Consequently, it protects the consumers from exploitation by insurance companies. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
The publicly funded healthcare policy in the United States is somehow not financially sound. Healthcare costs in the US are considerably higher and continues to increase even more than the overall economic growth of the country. For instance, in 2016, the cost was reported to be approximately $3.3 trillion dollars in 2016 (Martin, 2016). These high costs are bound to strain the economy of the country in the future considering that the US has the highest healthcare costs compared to other countries Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. In 2016, the government spent 17.9% of GDP on the costs of healthcare which is substantially higher than Japan, France, Germany and Sweden who spent about 11% and Switzerland which spent only 12% of their gross domestic product (Papanicolas, Woskie & Jha, 2018). Moreover, an individual American citizen spent about $9900 for healthcare in 2016 (Martin, 2016). This increased expenditure could be therefore become unsustainable in the long run because, they tend to increase the national debt. In addition, the quality of life reduces as people spend more on health and insurances, the costs of their products and services increase and people end up being unable to afford healthcare insurance. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
The public funded healthcare policy ensures equitable distribution of resources among the public population regardless of their financial or social status. This supports the justice principle of ethics which focuses on fairness. Moreover, it promotes the protection of vulnerable groups such as the minorities and as well as ensures the patient’s choice of treatment is respected as expected by autonomy Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. It also promotes culturally sensitive care thus enhancing solidarity between communities during outbreaks through prevention strategies and collaboration in eradicating illnesses. The policy is basically set up to benefit the public in improving the access and quality of healthcare and reducing the cost (Wilkinson, & Savulescu, 2018).
On the other hand, the legal foundation of public health in the US is embedded in the rights to life, safety and health of the population. The constitution mandates the government’s protection of its citizens against harm and hence the federal and states governments should provide a functioning public health system (Chen, Vargas-Bustamante, Mortensen & Ortega, 2016). The public health policy was set up through a political decision processes which involve the enactment of The Affordable Care Act (ACA) legislations Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. Notably, the repealing, removal or amendment of the policy is dependent on the political authorities.
The implementation of the healthcare public funding policy should be patient centered and seek to reduce the cost as well as increase the quality of care. As such, nurses must consider influencing the processes and standards of their practice settings to achieve quality. Furthermore, they should promote active participation of other nurses and collaborations to ensure successful implementation and sustainability of the policy. Nurses should also consider being information sources to the community for the much-needed information regarding healthcare insurance coverage and access provided by the policy. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
The public health funding policy is related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Federal health policy. This Act was enacted in 2010 with the aim of offering affordable health insurance coverage to the public. It also sought to protest the citizens for exploitation by insurance companies (Sommers et al., 2017). In this case, it was designed to lower the cost of healthcare particularly for low-income households. The public funding healthcare policy is well designed to achieve the ACA goals in that it offers healthcare funding programs suitable for all citizens through various insurance programs Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. This ensures that costs are maintained at a realistic level that increases access as healthcare services become more affordable.
The public health funding policy seeks to improve the quality of healthcare, reduce the cost, increase access and affordability. One of the advocacy strategies I would employ on behalf of my population to ensure they have access to the benefits of the policy is to provide a voice. This means that I provide information to enable them understand the policy and its benefits as well as how to become a beneficiary. I will also allow them to ask questions that will facilitate my successful implementation of the policy. Another strategy will involve the protection of the patients’ rights (Assi, Peterson & Hatmaker, 2018). Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. This will entail knowing their wishes and communicating them to the policy makers as well as educating them on how to optimally benefit from the policy as well as improve the quality of their care. I will also connect patients to resources both on the inside and outside the healthcare facility to support their wellbeing and understanding of the policy. This will help them gain financial assistance and enable them meet their needs.
From a Christian perspective, the advanced registered nurses have a professional and moral obligation to advocate for and promote health and prevent disease among diverse populations Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis. This is achieved through upholding of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice during healthcare delivery (Leffers & McDermott-Levy, 2019). This means that nurses are expected to engage patients in treatment and as well in decision making regarding the implementation of healthcare policies. They should also ensure fair and equitable distribution of healthcare resources and services and attend to patients without discrimination. Nurses should also be culturally sensitive while dealing with patients from different backgrounds (Albougami, Pounds & Alotaibi, 2016). This includes conducting a spiritual needs assessment to resolve ethical dilemmas and as well as practicing according to the legal requirements of the advanced nurse license. They should also uphold holistic and evidence-based practice at all times. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
References
Abel-Smith, B. (2018). An introduction to health: policy, planning and financing. Routledge.
Albougami, A. S., Pounds, K. G., & Alotaibi, J. S. (2016). Comparison of four cultural competence models in transcultural nursing: A discussion paper. International Archives of Nursing and Health Care, 2(3), 1-5.
Assi, M. J., Peterson, C., & Hatmaker, D. D. (2018). Workforce Advocacy for a Professional Nursing Practice Environment. Contemporary Nursing E-Book: Issues, Trends, & Management, 232. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
Blank, R. H. (2019). Public Policy Context: Funding and Policy Initiatives. In Social & Public Policy of Alzheimer’s Disease in the United States (pp. 27-44). Palgrave Pivot, Singapore.
Chen, J., Vargas-Bustamante, A., Mortensen, K., & Ortega, A. N. (2016). Racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and utilization under the Affordable Care Act. Medical care, 54(2), 140.
Leffers, J., & McDermott-Levy, R. (2019, November). Ethical principles for global health nursing: Promoting equity in practice. In APHA’s 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (Nov. 2-Nov. 6). American Public Health Association.
Martin, A. B. (2016). Healthcare expenditure increasing in USA. PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News, 768, 17-17.
Papanicolas, I., Woskie, L. R., & Jha, A. K. (2018). Health care spending in the United States and other high-income countries. Jama, 319(10), 1024-1039 Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.
Sommers, B. D., Maylone, B., Blendon, R. J., Orav, E. J., & Epstein, A. M. (2017). Three-year impacts of the Affordable Care Act: improved medical care and health among low-income adults. Health Affairs, 36(6), 1119-1128.
Wilkinson, D., & Savulescu, J. (2018). Cost-equivalence and Pluralism in Publicly-funded Health-care Systems. Health Care Analysis, 26(4), 287-309. Benchmark – Population Health Policy Analysis.